News

Feb 11, 2016

Why do we fall in love with a brand?

Love is in the air, its Valentines weekend. Flowers and chocolates are double the price, and all of the supermarkets are offering a 'dine in for two' or a 'Valentines Meal Deal'. So here's the dilemma, which meal deal do you choose? Do you visit each supermarket trying to work out who is offering the nicest dishes, or who is offering the best wine to accompany the meal? No, you choose based on your preferred brand.

Businesses want us to love their brand, so what makes us fall in love.

Emotions

Identity

Social Identity

Emotions

You might think you choose your brand of washing powder because it's the best at getting your clothes clean or because it's the best value. But even if you didn't realise it, emotions probably influenced your decision. A good business understands that consumers are driven by emotions

Identity

In 2006, Apple launched its "Get A Mac" campaign. The campaign featured a series of advertisements that began with a young, trendy guy in a hoodie introducing himself by saying "Hi, I'm a Mac." A stout, older man wearing a jumper and glasses portrayed another computer brand. The campaign implied that the computer you use says a lot about you, and of course you want to be young and cool, like a Mac.Identity may explain why many of the best-loved brands communicate personality traits that consumers identify with or wish to emulate. Going back to the example of the supermarket meal deal, would you choose M & S or Aldi? These retailer brand values are very different. If your brand doesn't meet your customer's real or desired identity, it's unlikely your brand will inspire love.

Social Identity

If you've ever felt a connection to people who use the same kind of smartphone or buy clothes from the same shops as you, you've experienced social identity in branding.Individuals might derive social identity from belonging to a group, living in a particular area, or being a member of a professional organisation. Social identity is relevant to brands because of the way social groups influence individuals' choices and preferences.

What made us love those brands?

So we've read about the psychological reasons as to why we love brands, but what about the tangible parts of the brand

The name

The logo

The brand's colours

The slogan and brand messaging

The sound of the brand

The overall look and feel = the brand's position

Packaging the brand

The brand experience

Branding isn't just about your company logo. Your business's purpose, focus, and image all combine to create your brand. But why put so much effort into your branding? So as you can be remembered and attract loyal customers. You become recognised and well known because of the superior image you have created.So when you're deciding on which Valentine 'dine in for two' option to go for, will you choose the brand you love?